Neck Pain

All About Neck Pain

By Jarrett Kruse

Most people suffer from neck pain some time in their lives—that’s probably why “pain in the neck” is such a common phrase. Neck pain symptoms can be sometimes easily identified, but some symptoms of neck pain or neck problems are less obvious. Neck pain symptoms may restrict movement or cause other discomfort in the neck, but may also affect other parts of the body. Back pain, neck pain or numbness, or numbness or tingling in the arm or hand may all be symptoms of neck injury. See your doctor or preferred health care provider for an exact diagnosis of your neck pain so you can begin the right program of neck pain treatment and neck pain relief.

Neck pain can be caused by a number of different injuries and conditions, and X-rays, MRIs, and other diagnostic tests can pinpoint diagnosis for appropriate treatment. Here a few of the most common conditions that can cause neck pain:

Muscle strain. Staring at a computer screen, repetitive motion or overuse, or bending over a steering wheel for too long can cause muscle strain, and doing it continually may cause a chronic condition.
Joint problems. Neck joints can experience wear and tear with age, sometimes osteoarthritis in your neck, causing pain and stiffness.
Disc problems. The cushioning discs between your vertebrae become dry and stiff with age, narrowing the spaces in your spinal column where the nerves come out. The discs in your neck also can herniated, meaning cartilage in them protrudes.
Injuries. Rear-end and other collisions often result in whiplash injuries, when the head is jerked forward and back, overstretching the soft tissues of the neck
Fractures. Occasionally sever pain is a sign of fractures in the neck.
Spinal cord injury. Pain that is accompanied by loss of movement, loss of sensation, or change in bowel or bladder habits should be checked out immediately to rule out spinal cord injury.